1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to water heaters and boilers, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an arrangement in construction of the fin tubes of a heat exchanger for a water heater.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One heat exchanger architecture which is found in the prior art includes an elongated radial burner concentrically received within a circular array of fin tubes. Such heat exchangers have previously been sold by the Assignee of the present invention under the Trademark POWER-FIN®. Examples of such heat exchangers are shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,800 to Vallett et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,926 to Baese et al.
Elongated burners used in such heat exchangers may be constructed in accordance with the disclosures of Baese et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,926; Bodnar et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,951; and/or Smelcer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,312.
Additionally, it is known in the prior art to use an architecture similar to that described above but having two concentric rings of fin tubes surrounding the elongated burner. An example of a dual concentric ring fin tube architecture is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 9,074,792 to Ellingwood et al.
There is a continuing need in the construction of water heater apparatus to improve the operating efficiency and reduce the foot print or space occupied by the water heater.